Turnabout Holidays
by Yin-Yang Yoh
Summary: After the entire case that brought the Dark Age of the Law to fruition, it is finally time for some Holiday Festivities. Unfortunately, this means that Athena and Apollo have to spend a nice Christmas with the law agency. Fortunately, this means that Athena and Apollo will spend a nice Christmas with each other...
1. Day 1

**Turnabout Holidays**

* * *

Day 1

* * *

_**Disclaimers: Ace Attorney is a property of Capcom and is owned by Shu Takumi.**_

* * *

"Alright Athena, let's go, once more! Ready? MY NAME IS APOLLO JUSTICE AND I AM FINE!"

While shouting, the man then thrusted his finger forwards, pointing at the female attorney in front of him wearing a yellow jacket, prompting her to punch her fists together with a large grin.

"MY NAME IS ATHENA CYKES, AND I'M ALSO FINE!"

The two then nodded, before gathering their thoughts together.

"And that concludes Chords of Steel training. We're ready for today!"

"Hope you two will do alright, you don't want to break those Chords during court."

From their left, the two glanced over to see their boss and mentor, in his proud suit and vest, with a content grin on his face.

"Mr. Wright! What are you doing here?"

"To watch the trial. What else could I be doing? One thing though, I'm sorry you two have to be working on a case today, it's December 22, a few days till Christmas!"

The two younger attorneys' faces fell immediately at the sound of it, Apollo already fatigued and sweating.

"Don't remind me, this means a Christmas alone after such a long time…"

Phoenix then immediately picked up on his employee's tone of voice. The trial of the Phantom was over, but Clay Terran, his best friend was Apollo's supporting leg, and the person he spent Christmas with the most. It didn't take him long to notice the downcast expression on Athena's face as well, as she's been with the agency for only a couple months. The older man then shook his head before bellowing another laugh.

"C'mon you two. Your client needs you don't they? Attorneys always have to force their biggest smiles. Don't worry about the holidays just yet. Bring home an acquittal and the truth. Now, one more time!"

Apollo then brightened up, arms crossed, nodding.

"Right! Cause we're fine!"

The female attorney then balled her fists together, a red like aura being produced around her.

"We're fine! Wait and see!"

The bailiff nearby then signaled the two to come to the courtroom, where they proceeded through with vigor. Phoenix was about to head to the gallery, but his eye caught a different person exiting the courtroom next to theirs.

"Well, of all the people today, I never thought I would see you here right now."

The man he was talking to turned around, where his burgundy suit and cravat stood out like a sore thumb in the lobby.

"Ah, Wright. Don't mind me, I was just leaving."

"I don't normally see you around the courthouse Edgeworth, other than for assessing the prosecutors."

Simply pushing his glasses up, Miles just smiled wryly.

"There are future preparations to be made considering the season. Normally such social events are not my cup of Earl Gray, but it is a tradition that the head prosecutor to hold a gala at the office, even for a little while. It's completely out of my purview not to hold one, though, I trust you also have other plans Wright?"

Phoenix just grinned again, chuckling under his breath.

"You certainly have been looser the last time we talked. But yeah, I don't want to disappoint Maya on Christmas, at Pearl's insistence of course."

The blue attorney then dug around his suit's pockets for a little bit, before pulling out a small package wrapped in a cravat.

"Since you won't see me on Christmas, I'd thought you might have something for the ride."

Edgeworth accepted the gift from him before giving one of his classic bows from his younger years.

"Please Wright, you've done more than enough for me, however…"

Reaching into a different part of his coat, he pulled out a different box that wrapped in a Steel Samurai movie poster.

"I just happen to have a spare poster that had worked as wrapping paper. I hope that isn't too much inconvenience. Think of it as a gift of gratitude from me to you."

Taking the box, he slipped it into his jacket.

"Thanks Edgeworth, Happy Holidays!"

The two then waved goodbye, walking in opposite directions, Phoenix climbing the stairs to the gallery.

* * *

_**December 22, 12:30 pm, Courtroom No.5**_

* * *

"And therefore…the one who committed the crime, was you!"

Apollo stuck his left finger out, pointing at the person on the stand. Phoenix however was only getting into the stands, looking for an available seat. By the time he sat down, he saw a thumbs up from Athena down below.

"And it was getting good too, looks like I'll have to settle for the climax." Phoenix mumbled to himself as he sat down. On the other hand, Apollo had his fists firm into the desk.

"No alibi, no justice, no dreams, no hope!"

The man on the witness stand then flinched, his hands shaky over the railing. Athena and Apollo's eyes then glinted, both of them with absolute confidence.

"It's time-"

"To pay for your crimes!"

They both then stuck out their index fingers, submitting a statue that was a bit on the bloody side, with the top of it broken.

"TAKE THAT!"

The unnamed witness then started foaming at the mouth, slowly descending from the bench, fainting on the spot. The prosecutor, a man in a gray tuxedo flinched as well, where he had to push his glasses back up from the shock. The judge then cleared his throat.

"Given the circumstances, along with the heavy amount of evidence that draws away from the defendant to this witness, I declare her to be one hundred percent…"

* * *

**ANNE ODE**

**NOT GUILTY**

* * *

_**December 22, 1:10 pm, Defendant Lobby No.5**_

* * *

The doors then re-opened, the two lawyers and the defendant exiting. Phoenix was arriving the moment their defendant had walked off.

"So, you guys did it, sorry I couldn't watch the whole thing."

Apollo just smiled, pushing his bangs back a little.

"Thanks Mr. Wright, it was actually kind of easy this time around."

Athena then smiled, showing her signature peace sign.

"Apollo did a really great job! He didn't have a single problem with my help!"

Phoenix then glanced over to where the defendant had gone.

"By the way, where did you client go?"

"I believe Anne Ode went to go find her sister, Kath Ode to thank her for hiring us."

Apollo then sighed, looking at his phone.

"It's past lunch, I'm pretty much hungry!"

Athena clapped her hands together, a grin spreading.

"Me too! This means-"

Phoenix quickly objected with only three words.

"I'm not buying."

The two were taken aback, Athena the most peeved.

"C'mon Mr. Wright! We did a good job, right?!"

Phoenix just chuckled before taking out a couple bills.

"Relax, I kid you two, take some of these. Consider it an early Christmas bonus for now. Remember, we'll be-"

As the two shakily accepted their bills, a familiar ringtone sang through the air. Phoenix then removed his phone from his pocket, picking it up as he excused himself from his company. Athena's eyes then glinted the moment they were alone.

"Race ya to Eldoon's!"

* * *

_**December 22, 1:45 pm, Eldoon's Noodle Stand:**_

* * *

"Enjoy your noodles!"

The two then gave their thanks to the familiar noodle vendor, before finding a nearby park bench to sit on while breaking up their chopsticks.

"Bon appetit!"

The girl then started eating, taking a large mouthful and savoring the noodles, despite the high sodium intake. Apollo took smaller bites, but found himself spacing out a bit as he stared for a brief moment at his partner. Athena caught his stare, raising an eyebrow.

"What? Something you like?"

Apollo then immediately averted his gaze away from her, before stammering a little.

"N-nothing! Nothing is wrong! I'm fine!"

"Apollo?"

"I AM APOLLO JUSTICE AND I AM FINE!"

The female attorney flinched a little, before sighing, taking his word for it, turning her attention back to her noodles. His voice didn't escape her memory, as her sense of hearing picked up the discord within him.

_'Apollo isn't one to keep secrets like this…why is he? It wasn't like when he left the agency, so what is he trying to lie about?'_

* * *

The rest of the day had the two wandering around the city, nothing especially spectacular happening in the streets. Apollo and Athena then stopped, where Athena had her eyes plastered on a purple bridal boutique display window, that contained a very vivid violet gown on a mannequin. Apollo noticed her staring at it intensely.

"Are _you _okay Athena?"

His subordinate then whipped around, flashing her signature peace sign.

"No sweat on my forehead! I'm fine! Really! I just think the dress is really really pretty!"

Apollo then felt his left arm get a bit tighter.

"Uh…"

"No use in trying to lie Athena, I sensed it."

"W-What? I'm not lying, I really do think the dress is pretty!"

The moment Athena had the word "dress" out of her mouth, her fingers shook a little bit, threatening to fall.

"GOTCHA!"

Apollo then crossed his arms, a sly smile on his face.

"Your fingers during your peace sign were going to fall, when you mentioned the dress."

Athena then was shocked, placing both her hands to her cheeks.

"That dress was able to make you lose a bit of your façade. Why is that now?"

Athena then caught him off guard with a sly smile of her own.

"Alright, I'll tell you, after you tell me…why there was some discord in your heart when I caught you staring at me."

"Ack!"

The grin on Athena's face grew wide, while Apollo regained his composure.

"Alright, I'll tell you, but you have to go first!"

"No way, you first!"

"This isn't going to work, let's just drop it for another day."

'Considering her stubbornness sometimes, I'd think she would make me crack first…' Apollo thought to himself as he felt drops of sweat roll down his face.

Athena then sighed as she checked the time on her phone.

"You're right. It's kinda getting late."

The two decided to leave the topic alone as they walked back to their respective apartment complexes, but little did they know, this event would spark their friendship into something more.


	2. Day 2

**Disclaimers on the first chapter.**

* * *

Day 2

* * *

**_December 23, 7:00 am, Apollo Justice Lodgings:_**

* * *

The brunette greeted the morning with a yawn, stretching his arms and looking outside, his attention directed towards the sky. A ringing noise however disrupted his thought process, where it turned out to be his phone near the bedside table. He instinctively picked it up, a bit of grogginess in his voice.

"Hello…Apollo Justice speaking."

The excited voice then snapped his senses into motion, completely awake.

"APOLLO! WE ARE GOING SHOPPING TODAY!"

"Wait, what?!"

"You heard me mon ami! We are going Christmas shopping! Meet me at the Mall in an hour, posthaste!"

"Wait, Athena-"

His protests were met with the dead line's constant monotone, prompting him to put the phone away, getting changed for the day to come.

* * *

**_December 23, 8:00 am, Redcorp Mall:_**

* * *

Exiting the bus, Apollo's feet stepped on the concrete leading to the entrance of the mall. Unlike his usual attire towards his profession, he decided that his self-proclaimed "Stylin-Street Clothes" would be comfortable for the situation. He was wearing a red jacket, which was very different in comparison to the suit he usually wore, with a white shirt underneath. Not even two seconds of walking through the opening doors, he was met with an incredibly recognizable and loud cry.

"Apolllllooooo! Over here!"

The man then looked around, seeing the younger attorney in a white blouse, silver jacket, and a pair of skinny jeans, waving at him with a smile, seeming to have forgotten about the previous day's events.

"Looking good Justice! Enough style for our hunt today!"

"How did you convince me to do this again?"

"Details, details, now let's go in!"

The female then took the male's arm, dragging him quickly through the doors. Looking around, the venue was a certainly quite red, given the name, and had a bunch of festivities strewn all over the place, including fake snow, and Christmas Trees.

"Check it out..."

"It's so pretty Apollo! We just have to see everything!"

Not a moment too soon, the man found himself being dragged by the girl's surprisingly strong grip, towards the various booths that were clearly meant for kids under Athena's age.

"Check out the cookies we can ice!"

The moment Athena released her grip on Apollo, he took a large breath of air, along with a moment to straighten his clothes.

"Athena, don't you think this part of the lane is a bit too...kiddish?"

She spun around, waving her peace sign.

"Pourquoi? Any kid should be able to do any activity in a booth! Especially if snacks are involved! Now come on and help me!"

Apollo just sighed, clear disbelief strewn across his face as he picked up one of the gingerbread cookies off the plate.

"I swear, this is more troublesome than you make it out to be..."

The two then picked out some of the candy that was present in the bowls, along with a couple of tubes of the icing off to the side as well, in a few different colors. Looking at the wide variety that was available to them, Apollo carefully looked them over one more time.

"Wait...oh no..."

"What's wrong? Wait...I think I just got the best idea ever!"

Apollo then recoiled, his forehead starting to sweat a little.

'And I think I know what said idea is...'

Athena then picked out two more cookies from the pile.

"Let's make some for Mr. Wright and Trucy too!"

"Right. Let's go make some Pearl Fey as well while we're at it." Apollo replied sarcastically, but Athena just placed her hands over her cheeks in surprise.

"Of course! We can't forget about Pearly!"

'And there goes my wallet...' Apollo thought to himself as he hunched himself over on the counter.

By the time they were done, the entire Wright Anything Agency's members were made into cookies, ready to be eaten by their human counterparts. Apollo and Athena then both paid for the cookies, with Apollo wincing a little, but quickly wiped it off with a quick clench of his fists.

* * *

_[Wright Anything Cookies added to Court Record.]_

* * *

Athena then pointed towards the further end of the hallway that everything was in.

"Next up, the Pet Store!"

"Why the Pet Store of all places? We already have Charley..."

The carrot head then put on her curious thinking face, her finger tapping the bottom of her earring.

"Why indeed? It seems relatively pointless..."

Her face then lit up like the Christmas tree that was beside her.

"Unless you want to get a gift."

Apollo just hunched over, the same baffled expression on his face.

"...of course."

* * *

**_December 23, 9:00 am, Pet of Honor:_**

* * *

The two were met with a somewhat large overarching doorway, with various animal related holiday decorations, fake snowflakes, and fake reindeer hanging above the two attorneys as they entered. Apollo then placed one of his fingers to his forehead, deep in thought.

"So what are we doing here exactly? I don't recall you having an animal friend at your house...and we're not getting a bunny for Trucy's Christmas present."

Athena then gave him a piece of paper, which was an article about various holiday deals that were available for the pet owners. Skimming through the top lines, he soon saw the true intentions of the visit.

"Wait...we're here to get a gift for Prosecutor Blackquill?"

* * *

_[Pet of Honor Flyer added to Court Record.]_

* * *

"Yep! He's our friend, and friends should always try to get gifts for each other!"

Suddenly, a sharp chord of an instrument outside of the band that was playing outside entered the shop, playing a somewhat haunting melody, as a man in a white and black garb walked into their conversation, with a small grin on his face.

"Heh heh, perhaps you would offer Taka a gift as well if you're so willing to divulge your savings into this gift of yours."

"Huh. Of all places, I never expected you to show up in a mall like this Prosecutor Blackquill."

The man shook his head to the left, a snide grin showing his teeth, tapping his own forehead a couple times with his index finger.

"Ah yes, Justice-dono. Pleasant surprise to see you as well. I entrust your blade is sharp enough to guard Athena's life, just as I have done before."

"What's that supposed to...never mind, what exactly are you here for, you haven't exactly answered my question."

Suddenly, Simon's eyes opened up sharply, a small glare within them, where Apollo met his glare with one of his own, a small cut-in between their eyes.

* * *

_[Argument, Why Blackquill is Here]_

* * *

"I had placed an order for a special brand of bird food, to be specifically delivered to this mall's area. Redcorp Mall is a few blocks away from my apartment complex, so it naturally would not have been a tedious trip. I made sure to wake up earlier than usual so I could receive my order. With an early starting time, it was relatively simple to get my purchase. In fact, there wasn't even a line for those who wanted to go shopping early, which is common given the season."

The prosecutor's last statement then rung in his head for a little bit, before the younger defense attorney placed a single finger to the forehead.

"So that's why you're here? To get some special food for your hawk?"

"Do you think you can find a problem with my logic Justice-dono?"

Crossing his arms, a confident grin spread across Apollo's face.

"I think so, since you gave testimony, I have the right to cross-examine it."

"Ah...so a duel outside of the courtroom...very interesting indeed. However, draw your blade swift. I have no time for too much jabber."

Athena this time was the one to have a baffled expression, as she saw the people beside her gather into a crowd that was next to the two attorneys, both arms folded.

'I can't believe these two are actually doing this...'

* * *

_[Rebuttal, Why Blackquill is Here]_

* * *

"I had placed an order for a special brand of bird food, to be specifically delivered to this mall's area. Redcorp Mall is a few blocks away from my apartment complex, so it naturally would not have been a tedious trip. I made sure to wake up earlier than usual so I could receive my order-"

Apollo then stuck his index finger out, using his chords of steel in the middle of the store.

"HOLD IT!"

His finger then went back onto his temple.

"Exactly what time did you arrive at the mall Prosecutor Blackquill?"

"...7:00 am."

Apollo just stared at him blankly, sweat sliding down his forehead.

"That's all you have to say?"

"As I stated before Justice-dono, we draw blades quickly now. I do not intend to give your leading questions too much."

'Well that's a little entirely unfair...' Apollo thought to himself, before straightening up, asking him a different question this time.

"Can you add this...statement, to your testimony?"

"I have no intentions of hiding my actions..."

Prosecutor Blackquill then repeated his testimony, including the new statement.

"...I had arrived at 7:00 am sharp, the moment the store was to open."

Apollo then stuck his finger out more intensely, a large shout echoing through the store as he did.

"OBJECTION! Mr. Blackquill, you said that you arrived at the exact moment the store was to open, right? Well, I have to say that this flyer contradicts your statement!"

The band outside then started playing a tune, where it sounded a lot like a theme that Apollo heard ever so often every time he pointed out an inconsistency within a witness's testimony.

"According to the flyer here, it says that the store hours are from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm during the holiday seasons here, yet, you said when you started shopping was at a time that was clearly not near this interval. So, what do you have to say about tha- AGH!"

A slash came out of nowhere, the resulting force of it creating an blade made out of the wind itself, which had cut off Apollo's sentence, along with the band outside to stop playing, and resume playing the tune when Blackquill first entered the conversation.

"Well, your blade is as sharp as your tongue, but it is still lacking in accuracy. You claim that my arrival is too early, an hour's worth. But, the smaller the contradiction, the easier a witness can fix it."

Apollo just sweatdropped, his face still written with some disbelief.

"Let me guess, you have the perfect explanation for this..."

"I am a special and valued customer of the Pet of Honor. I have the privilege of being able to arrive early and intercept any incoming deliveries."

The prosecutor then shifted his head over to the left, the clock on the wall reading the time.

"And this is where our banter ends. I'll be going for a stroll now."

The man then started walking past the two lawyers, without looking back. The crowd decided to dissolve as a result of the mini cross-examination. Athena just walked back up to his side, looking at him with both of their faces in disbelief.

"Well...that was...something."

"I still don't even know what happened Athena..."

Before the two could walk back farther into the pet store, a cry could be heard from the outside.

"Foolish fool! Watch where you are going!"

"Hmph. I disagree. You were the fool to watch where you were going."

The two then looked back outside, where they saw Simon facing off against a woman with short, silver hair, and pale white skin. She was wearing regal clothing, including a bow and a dress suit. They were both glaring at each other, the woman holding her whip with a firm grip.

"How dare you, you fool!"

"You're the fool."

Their glares then started sparking, causing the band to play a much more fast paced tune, something that was usually heard when a witness was lying coldly, according to what Apollo heard during the head prosecutor's investigations. The moment the song was heard, the whip was flying towards Simon, and he was blocking the strikes with draws from his fingers. The action was incredibly fast-paced that there was an audience forming around the rapid slicing and whip cracking. Apollo and Athena however stayed as far away from the crowd as possible, and was at the far back end of the pet shop.

"Geez it's like that Black Friday sale two weeks ago."

Apollo nodded slowly.

"Cept with more whips and less swordsmanship."

* * *

**_December 23, 12:00 pm, Redcorp Food Court:_**

* * *

After much walking around and shopping, the two had crashed at the local food court for some lunch. Apollo ordered a Double Cheeseburger with Mushrooms, along with sweet potato fries and a can of his favorite soda. Athena on the other hand had a grilled chicken sandwich, with a slew of veggies on top of it, on the side of her sandwich were also sweet potato fries and a cold cup of orange juice.

"Christmas shopping has never been so tiring..." Apollo complained as he took a sip from his can.

"Hey, you get great deals when it's nearly the holidays! So yeah, it's a rush!"

Apollo just shook his head, placing his empty can on the table.

"Well, the "rush" has left me in exhaustion."

Checking the time, Athena then got up, brushing off her jacket.

"I'm going to the little girl's room, so just hang tight till I get back. Watch our stuff, k? K, thanks!"

Athena then ran off in the opposite direction of their table, leaving Apollo's protests in vain, and sighing, giving him an opportunity to think to himself.

'Now that she is leaving me alone, I can think about what happened yesterday properly.'

He closed his eyes in deep concentration, him revisualizing what happened on the previous day.

"Let's review the facts. Yesterday, after our trial we went to Eldoon's noodles to have lunch. We then wandered around the city, the last place we went to together that day stopping in front of a bridal shop. Athena lied to me, as I was able to perceive one of her habits. Those are the small amount of facts I have, and would be the best place to start. Now, was there anything she wanted to lie about that afternoon?"

* * *

[The Noodles]

[The Trial]

[The Dress]

* * *

Apollo thought about the first two choices for a good two seconds, before immediately dismissing them from his mind.

* * *

**[She was lying about the dress]**

* * *

"The dress is the only option that made sense to lie about. Athena was so fixated on it yesterday. But that brings me to the next topic. She said that the dress was pretty, which I believe to be true, but it was something about the dress itself...what made her so compelled to lie about it?"

* * *

[She wanted it]

[The color was not her taste]

* * *

Apollo then sweatdropped at the second choice he decided, continuing to select the first option.

* * *

**[Athena wanted the dress]**

* * *

"The only thing that makes sense out of those two options were the fact that she wanted the dress. If she did want the dress, then why lie about it? She had plenty of money yesterday, since she didn't actually do any shopping...wait! Maybe she wanted to..."

* * *

[Try to wait for clearance]

[Make me get the dress]

[Buy it when it was the right time]

* * *

Apollo's thoughts then connected together clearly with the second choice, a spark going off in his brain.

* * *

**[ATHENA WANTED THE DRESS AS A GIFT]**

* * *

"It all makes sense now! Perhaps she wanted me to get the dress as a gift for her as a Christmas present! That's why she didn't want me to know about it!"

His eyes then snapped open, his eyes wide and attentive, until he realized his two fists had slammed his tray, crushing his sweet potato fries.

"Well...when she gets to wear that dress, I will make her happy! And perhaps..."

He held onto his tie, metaphorically where his heart would be located.

"Finally get these feelings that I have off my chest..."

Opening his eyes, he noticed the mess he made with his food.

"On a side note, why did I treat that entire afternoon as if I was trying to catch a killer using evidence in the Court Record?"

* * *

_**December 23, 12:10 pm, Redcorp Mall, Women's Room:**_

* * *

Athena exited, wiping her hands on a paper towel, disposing the waste in a nearby trash can. She sighed, holding her arm against her body, leaning against the door next to the washroom.

"This is a dilemma. Junie's going to be out of town for a while with Hugh and Robin, so what can I do?"

Widget then lit up, speaking one of her thoughts out loud.

"WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SPEND TIME WITH APOLLO."

"S-shut up Widget! Not now!"

She mulled over the situation yesterday, before shaking her head, perking herself up by punching her fists together.

"No time to think about it now, I'm going to sweep him off his feet with what I have planned for him!"

She then took a confident stride, making her way back to the table Apollo resided, where he gave her a casual wave as she got back.

"Hey, ready to keep going Athena?"

"Yeah, but it looks like I've done what I wanted to do here at Redcorp Mall."

Apollo then looked at his cell phone, a little thought entering his mind as he looked at it.

"That reminds me, I wonder, where is Mr. Wright right now?"

* * *

**_December 23, 12:30 pm, ?:_**

* * *

The man in blue then arrived at a familiar graveyard, where he was holding two sets of bouquets in front of two gravestones.

"Hey...chief. It's been a long time since we last talked. Well, I hope you're not entirely disappointed in me, but, I would not be surprised if you were. I ruined your legacy and redid the entire office, all for the sake of my own survival. But I can at least assure you, Charley is in good hands. I hope for our sake the new agency doesn't fall apart again."

The lawyer then chuckled to himself, before he set down one of the bouquets on the gravestone.

"Merry Christmas Mia. I hope you and that coffee loving boyfriend of yours are at peace finally. I promise to treat the office and your legacy better, now that I have my badge back."

His head then faced the other gravestone, where he set down the remaining bouquet on top of it.

"The same to you, Mr. Armando. I promise that I will make the both of you proud."

He then stood up, chuckling to himself as he brushed some dust off the tablets.

"By the way, Trucy couldn't come today, but she said that she wishes Aunt Mia and Uncle Diego a Happy Holidays."

He then smiled, walking back outside of the gravesite, contentment on his face, as he could feel that the two spirits were with him as he walked.

* * *

**_December 23, 1:00 pm, Downtown LA:_**

* * *

Apollo and Athena decided to split up in the meantime. They figured that the best way to get gifts for each other would be to give each other distance. Unfortunately, this meant that when Apollo tried to get inside the shop with the dress he was so intent on getting, he had to make sure that no one was around to question him.

"Alright, you can do this Apollo. This is all for Athena."

He then clenched his fists, walking towards the door, grip firmly on the knob.

'Athena's gift...HERE COMES JUSTICE!'

He then opened the door, instantly having mixed feelings of regret and bravery. When he stepped into the boutique, the woman at the counter just stared at him with a dumbfounded look. Apollo then took another large breath, releasing his answer in a single bound.

"I need a dress for friend of mine, so can you help me out?"

The woman then nodded, and the awkwardness shifted a little bit.

"What your friend's dress size?"

"Uh…I think…"

Taking out his cell phone, he looked at the notes he jotted down on it.

"Ah, here it is."

* * *

_**December 23, 1:15 pm, Uptown LA:**_

* * *

Athena had, like Apollo, wandered off to find a gift that was suitable for him. Unfortunately, all she got at the moment were matching Christmas sweaters. The moment she wanted to exaggerate her crying, her spirits were instantly lifted when she saw a different boutique across the way. It had specialized in formal wear, especially for attorneys.

"Huh. That's really convenient." Athena said to no one in particular.

Carefully as she could, Athena walked inside, through the doors, checking her phone, with a quick glance over her shoulder.

"Okay, this suit is pretty good. Good thing I wrote this note about his size the last time we went shopping. Also really convenient."

As she paid for the new black tuxedo, she placed it among the bags that she was carrying, walking outside, hearing a buzz from her holster. Looking at her belt, she saw the caller ID on her phone.

"It's Mr. Wright! Hello?"

"Hey, meet me at the south end of the city in a couple hours. We're going on a small vacation."

"Wait, what?!"

"Better pack something warm, and possibly some other things."

"Mr. Wright, what are we-"

The sound of the phone's monotone then interrupted her, forcing her to speed dial the other number on screen.

"Apollo?"

"We're going on a trip with Mr. Wright, right?"

* * *

_**December 23, 3:40 pm, ?:**_

* * *

"Are we all ready?"

Phoenix looked at the other two attorneys who were checking their things in their suitcases before a car was pulled up near them.

"All set Mr. Wright!"

A man in a black tuxedo walked out of the car, opening the door for the four to enter, as well as taking the liberty to put the suitcases in the car. Apollo and Athena took out the heavier jackets, as were instructions from Phoenix, where he and Trucy also had warmer wear for where they were going.

"Next stop, Hazakura Temple!"

The car then started up, going down the highway towards the cooler area of L.A.

* * *

**_December 23, 5:10 pm, ?:_**

* * *

"You must be joking Athena."

"If we're going to make it before midnight, this is our only chance, now vite vite mes amis!"

The car had suffered an unfortunate mishap as the motor had been tampered with beforehand by a vandal, along with the car that they were riding in being in need of repairs due to the damages made by the same vandal. Their chauffeur had already apologized profusely and had made arrangements to get it repaired, but was not able to get another car for their ride there. In response, Athena decided to walk the rest of the way through the area where snow was already beginning to form. Everyone, except Apollo wasn't against the idea.

* * *

**_December 23, 10:00 pm, Hazakura Temple:_**

* * *

Two purple robed spirit mediums waited by the temple's gates, faces painted with worry as they heard the winds starting to pick up. One was a brunette while the other had black hair.

"Oh, I hope Nick and the others get here safely...It's been over two hours Pearly!"

The brunette then fiddled with her fingers, looking out across the snowy plain at the snow covered bridge.

"They'll be fine Mystic Maya! I just know it."

They then lit a nearby lantern, hoping to kindle their hopes. Their hopes were soon as bright as their light source when they saw a small shade of blue. Maya then waved her arms, hoping to catch the attention of the ones running towards the bridge.

"Nick!"

"Maya!"

The spiky haired attorney had sprinted across the bridge, fond memories returning to him for a small bit as he crossed, reaching the other side, and giving the older spirit medium a large hug.

"I missed you quite a bit Maya!" cried Phoenix as he swung her around for a bit.

"Put me down Nick, it hasn't been that long since we talked! I still have to meet the other people you have yet to introduce."

Turning around, Phoenix was met with a clearly out of breath Apollo, and two energy filled Athena and Trucy. Apollo was the first to raise an objection due to the lack of air.

"Sorry, but can this wait later? It looks like it's going to go below zero anytime soon."

Looking at the wind currents that were passing by the hung lanterns, the group agreed to turn in, considering that the weather at the temple was about to get worse.

* * *

**I apologize for this somewhat rushed ending. I realized I was dragging the entire chapter out for too long, so I had to cut it a bit short.**


	3. Day 3

_**Disclaimers on the first chapter.**_

* * *

Day 3

* * *

_**December 24, 7:10 am, Hazakura Temple:**_

* * *

Yawning, the brunette attorney rose to the sound of birds chirping outside within the shared room of him and Athena. Granted, there were two separate beds for them, but the room was somewhat small for the two of them. Shrugging it off, he opened the bag he brought with him, pulling out one of the old Santa hats that he and Clay wore when they would celebrate Christmas together, along with a pair of mugs that were wrapped in bubble wrap.

"Yawn...morning Apollo."

Turning around, he saw his junior partner stretching her arms, rubbing her eyes to adjust her vision.

"Morning Athena."

Taking notice of the objects in his hands, she hopped out of the bed to take a peek.

"Why did you bring Santa Hats and mugs? I'm usually the one to bring that stuff."

Apollo smiled, although it wasn't one out of happiness, but more of sadness from trying to cope, ultimately resulting in reminisce.

"Clay and I...we would hang out together on Christmas..."

Athena looked away from a brief moment, grasping her right arm with her left hand, eyes towards the floor, ears immediately registering the sadness in his heart.

'I guess he's not completely over it yet. I don't blame him for it though...'

"...while we hung out, we would drink some hot chocolate from these mugs that we made for each other when were still in boarding school. We would sing a couple Christmas carols to...I..."

"You miss him dearly, don't you?"

Apollo sighed, hanging his head downwards with his eyes closed.

"More than ever. He was my best friend, and he was murdered before we could spend the holidays together."

Athena wasn't able to look him in the eye. She knew that she needed to cheer him up, but didn't know how or where to begin. Her courage then tried speaking her mind, but found herself stumbling over the proper words.

"I...no, let's...um..."

Finally, the only thought that crossed her mind that was able to be spoken was whispered into his ear.

"Would you...like to celebrate with me this year?"

His curiosity then was piqued, his attention facing her. He saw her expression, along with her body language.

'She's really concerned about me...' Apollo thought with his eyes wide. He then nodded, crossing his arms, trying to give a smile.

"Let's go make that hot chocolate."

* * *

_**December 24, 8:20 am, Hazakura Temple:**_

* * *

The two decided while they were making the hot chocolate, they would also get some breakfast ready for the day as well. Considering the food situation was low when travelling to the temple in the first place, they brought some of their own to the temple, along with a dinner that Phoenix was going to cook, sitting in the freezer/snow. As the mugs were filled with the hot water and milk, the hash brown patty, scrambled eggs, and bacon sat on their plates, some also sizzling for Mr. Wright. They then took their utensils, eating each piece of their breakfast. Athena then looked across the room, a festive looking tinsel hung from the ceiling, with a couple scented candles laid across them. It reminded her of a song she heard when she was in Japan.

* * *

_"Merry Christmas. My song for you..."_

* * *

Apollo then noticed the familiar tune, before Athena continued on.

* * *

_"Negai ga kanau yo ni (I pray your wish will come true)_

_Santa kuroosu minna no machi (Santa Claus, please come)_

_Kite kudasai kitto (To every town)..."_

* * *

Apollo then grinned, trying to pick up, except this time in English only.

* * *

"Merry Christmas. I sing. With you,

If all our wishes come true,

We all shall join hands becoming angels,

And all of the shining heavens, we'll be reborn!"

* * *

Athena was surprised by his chords of steel hiding such a singing voice, but also making up lyrics that had some original context to what it roughly translated.

"You...know that song?"

"Yeah, we watched Digimon a lot, and when we got older, we also heard this song during an episode we streamed...it's been Clay's favorite carol to sing..."

"Well...what else have you two translated into English?"

Apollo tried to envision the beat in his head, before continuing to sing.

* * *

"Our tree is starting to sway, radiance is beaming, lights are stars sparkling,

Candles shining ever so bright, that it's hard to see, closing them quickly,"

* * *

Athena then picked up from where he left off in Japanese, a warm feeling spreading across her entire body.

* * *

_"Inori no kotodama sukui no te no hira(The words of prayer, the palm of the helping hand)_

_Sekaijuu no daremo ga matte iru no(Everyone all over the world is waiting)_

_Kono hi dake no mahout!(For the spell of this day!)"_

* * *

Apollo then took out his phone, playing the song, where a couple of bells started jingling, making him take up the next verse.

"Merry Christmas! My song for you,

I pray your wish becomes true,

With knowledge of all, presents arriving,

For everyone in this world!"

Athena and Apollo then decided to sing the next part together, with a mesh of his improvised lyrics and her fluent Japanese.

* * *

"_Merry Christmas!_ I sing, With you!

_Negai ga kanatta nara(_I hope our wishes come true)

_Sora wo koete tenshi ni naru_(We will cross the sky, becoming angels)

_Habataite umarekawaru yo!_(Flapping both our wings hard, we'll be reborn!)"

* * *

They soon found themselves a little out of breath, staring into each other's eyes as they tried to regain oxygen while the phone ended the song.

* * *

_'Merry Christmas...my song, for you...'_

* * *

By the time they were done, a small applause could be heard from the stairwell that was near the kitchen, where Phoenix, Trucy, Maya, and Pearl were clapping at their mini-performance.

"Great job guys. Hope you two can do that much singing on ice or in the courtroom!"

Pearls then placed both her hands to her face, a wondrous twinkle in them.

"I guess they found each other as their "special someones", as I remember calling it!"

The two newbies started blushing facing away from their audience, eating the rest of their breakfast and hot chocolate.

* * *

**_December 24, 10:30 am, Hazakura Temple Courtyard:_**

* * *

"Push Trucy! Push! This snowman isn't going to build itself!"

Athena, Trucy, and Pearly were pushing a large snowball that they were building from the snow that had fell during nightfall, and it was fresh for snow making activities. Apollo however decided to stay as far away as possible, deeming him the supervisor.

"You guys might want to stop now. It's not getting any bigger."

Pearls then looked at the remaining snow that was on the ground.

"He's right. We can't just use all of the snow right here now. That would be selfish."

Trucy just posed with her signature top hat, before waving a wand around.

"Not exactly, there's always more than one way to get snow!"

In a small puff of smoke, the infamous "Magical Panties" were in her hands.

"And a one, and a two, and a three!"

Throwing them into the air, two large snowballs appeared from the leg ends of the panties, landing perfectly onto the snowball they just made. Apollo just slumped over in more shocked expression than anything that has happened in the last two days, Pearly just clapping in awe at her magic.

"That was amazing Trucy!"

The girl then placed her fist to her hat, bumping it against the head, while sticking out her tongue.

"It was no problem Pearly, you always are amazed at what I do."

Apollo just shook his head, crossing his arms.

"Okay, so...who are we-"

" OF COURSE!"

Trucy and Pearl then bounced happily at the idea.

"Of course, Mr. Nick needs is the very best!"

"No one is as good as daddy!"

"I can't believe this..."

* * *

_**December 24, 12:00 pm, Hazakura Temple:**_

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the lodgings, the oldest of the six were inside, with the blue attorney in his blue suit, along with a Christmas sweater underneath his suit. Lunch was prepared by said man, a few homemade steaks made for the occasion, but were left unguarded by them and the other four outside.

"Well, looks like they're having some fun outside Nick."

Looking over his shoulder, he went from the table where he set up all the steaks, to the window outside. The snow was starting to fall again, Athena, Apollo, Trucy, and Pearls setting up a snowman in the courtyard, complete with Phoenix Wright posing action and stern stare. Maya just giggled at their prospects while Phoenix rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Well, they're kids, what are you gonna do about them..."

Maya then took hold of his arm, tugging on it and resting her head on it.

"I missed talking to you Nick..."

A single hand then plopped on top of the medium's head.

"Same here..."

A large thump could be heard outside, causing both of them to be startled and separate, a voice being heard from the outside.

"Dang it Trucy!"

Opening the door, the two were met with quite a scene. Apollo and Athena were hiding behind makeshift forts of snow, Pearl and Trucy doing the same, except the magician was conjuring piles upon piles of snowballs that were being literally dumped out of the magic panties. Apollo and Athena then stood up, throwing it at the other two girls.

"TAKE THAT!"

The magician and medium ducked, before Pearl pulled her sleeves up and threw them hard. The other two adults just laughed before walking back in.

"Let's call them for dinner when they're done playing."

* * *

_**December 24, 6:00 pm, Hazakura Temple:**_

* * *

"Turkey's finished!" Phoenix cried out to the people in the living area of their room, causing five hungry individuals to surround the table that was set for them.

Atop it were a glorious display of a Christmas dinner. Said turkey was the large centerpiece of the entire table, filled to the brim with a "traditional" Kurain made stuffing. Mashed, steamed, and sweet potatoes were in one glorious bowl, along with a large crock pot to keep the gravy warm. A breadbasket was sitting pretty next to the turkey, with a couple buns inside, and two small bowls of salad and fruits were also on the aside, for the ones who were planning to eat healthily.

"Alright, who's hungry?"

All of them raised their hands, Phoenix getting a chuckle as he carved the meat off of the bird, giving equal amounts to each of them. Athena then took a large amount of the salad and fruits, two buns, completing her plate with sweet potatoes.

Apollo stayed traditional, taking only mashed potatoes, bread, gravy, and stuffing.

Trucy made some of the food from their respective bowls disappear, before they reappeared on her plate as steamed potatoes, bread, fruits, and gravy.

Maya on the other hand was unhinged and started grabbing everything that was on the table, disregarding anything that was green, dumping a large glob of the gravy onto her plate, covering her potatoes, stuffing, and turkey in the brown liquid.

Phoenix just sweatdropped.

"I wonder how Edgeworth's Prosecutor party is going right now..."

* * *

**_December 24, 7:59 pm, Gatewater Imperial Hotel:_**

* * *

"He's doing it! He's going for his sixth shot!"

"ACHTUNG BABY!"

The lights in the room were then shut off, before a spotlight shone atop of the tanned prosecutor, where he stood on the table, slipping on a pair of shades, throwing the glass into the air, watching the burgundy liquid fly from its glass, landing completely into his mouth perfectly, while catching the glass in his right hand. The other prosecutors, who were clearly also out of it, were clapping at his efforts. Miles Edgeworth on the other hand had a face of disapproval, facepalming himself with his glasses on.

"I knew this was a bad idea."

Before he knew it, Klavier Gavin was starting to take off his jacket, making some of his Fraulein fan prosecutors squeal. At that moment, Edgeworth stood up from his seat.

"Prosecutor Gavin, you shall cease this at once!"

* * *

_**December 24, 10:20 pm, Hazakura Temple:**_

* * *

Everyone was already in bed, but Athena and Apollo were still up, sitting on the couch while Athena was trying to learn the English lyrics that Apollo and Clay came up with, and vice versa.

"It's getting late Apollo, let's get some sleep..."

With that, Athena curled up on the couch with a nearby blanket, resting her head on his lap.

"Uh...Athena?"

"Don't worry about it Pollo, just rest easy. The sound of your heart is soothing. I can tell that you're coping with the loss of Clay. It's nice and soft...very kind."

"O...kay, I guess."

In mere moments, the carrot-head had fallen asleep in the embrace of Apollo's arms. The brunette didn't want to wake her up, so he just watched the fireplace that was crackling in front of them dissipate, warming up the household, and falling asleep as well at the calm atmosphere.


	4. Day 4

Final Disclaimer: All content from Ace Attorney is a intellectual property of Shu Takumi, and Tenshi no Inori is a song belonging to Digimon Adventure 02.

* * *

_Day 4:_

* * *

**_December 25, 8:10 am, Hazakura Temple:_**

* * *

Apollo woke to the sound of a soothing melody radiating through the lodge that they resided in. He found that his subordinate was not sleeping in his lap, and not even outside.

* * *

"Merry Christmas, my song, for you..."

* * *

Following the sound to the door, he heard it outside.

* * *

"With a deep, heavy, sigh of white,

winds of the cold, stinging both my cheeks,

My fingers are also frozen, struggling to move, touching the fallen snow."

* * *

Suddenly, Apollo continued on with her, providing a small harmony.

* * *

"The sound of all bells so divine, the resonating voices start to sing,

All the little boys and girls, this world believes,

In the power of this Holiday!"

* * *

Apollo then wrapped his arms around her neck, getting a small yelp out of her, forcing her to grab his wrists.

"NONONO! It's just me! Apol-LOOOOO!"

His request was in vain when he found himself face first in the snow beside him.

"OH MY GOD! Apollo, are you alright?!"

He weakly gave a thumbs up as his face felt frozen.

"I'm...FINE, now, be a dear and help me out of his snow?"

Tugging on his arm, the carrot head pulled the brunette out of the snow, looking quite dismayed, not to mention, cold.

"Let's hurry inside."

Athena then took him to the fireplace with the blanket on the couch, warming him up, while she also brought out the laptop that he also had.

"Mr. Starbuck should be calling any moment now..."

The computer loaded up while Apollo warmed up near the flames, a distinct ringing being heard as it opened his Skype program. A static filled noise was heard before it settled down to a gruff voice.

"Apollo, come in. It's me, Starbuck."

"I can hear you fine Mr. Starbuck!"

Athena then chimed in as well.

"We both can actually!"

"Great. How you holding up there Justice?"

"I'm fine...really. Athena has been helping me grieve, and I'm talking to you while you're achieving your dream...Clay is probably very proud and happy right now."

"Merry Christmas Apollo."

"A Merry Christmas to you too Mr. Starbuck."

A heavy sigh came out of Sol's lips, before muttering.

"I wonder how Aura is holding up right now."

* * *

_**December 25, 9:30 am, Detention Center:**_

* * *

"Miss Blackquill, you have a visitor."

Rising from her seat, she walked out of her cell, towards the visitor's lobby, a somewhat content smile on her face.

"Well, if it isn't little Simon."

"Honestly, you looked better days Aura. Now you're letting your hair down like Rapunzel."

The snarky prosecutor then chuckled to himself, his hawk also joining in.

"Right. Clever. So how's your kawaii desu~ Christmas going?"

Prosecutor Blackquill glared at her for a few moments, before calming down with his eyes closed.

"It is better than being inside a prison cell. Although, I will admit, I will miss that inmate who was once a humble mall Santa Claus."

Aura then chuckled to herself a small tear in her eye.

"He was found guilty of smuggling change from the fountains, isn't that right?"

"Aura. Merry Christmas."

He then signaled one of the guards, opening a gift he brought to reveal a small pendant of him and Aura as kids. Aura just beamed brightly.

"Well, Merry Christmas to you too, little brother."

* * *

_**December 25, 11:00 am, Hazakura Temple:**_

* * *

"Time for presents!"

The little magician and medium then bounced happily to the tree, getting respective presents for their acquaintances, starting with Pearls, she got two boxes for Maya and Phoenix.

"As special someones, this is extra special!"

Phoenix and Maya then started sharing the same thought.

'I swear, if this is the two halves of mistletoe again, I'm reconsidering you and Trucy dating anyone.'

They then opened their presents, finding a Steel Samurai and Pink Princess charm halves.

"Now when you two meet up, you can always link them up to form the most powerful couple of Neo Olde Tokyo!"

"Aww...I love it Pearly! Nick, you like it too, right?"

"Well, I certainly don't dislike it. Thank you Pearls."

Trucy then spun her wand around, conjuring up her magic panties.

"You can get something special like that Pearls, but watch this! 1, 2, 3!"

Throwing them into the air, a stack of five presents fell into her hand.

"One for everyone!"

Everyone in the room started clapping, Trucy then distributing them individually. For Apollo, she got him a Lamiroir CD, Athena received a chocolate Orange, Pearly had a deck of cards that were Steel Samurai based, her daddy and potential mommy however got two rings, each with a mistletoe on them.

"Thanks Trucy, really appreciate it."

Sticking her fist onto her hat, she stuck out her tongue cutely. Maya then placed her gifts on the couch

"Alright guys, my turn! One for you Nick, and one for you Pearly!"

Opening them up, Pearly had a brand new Pink Princess spin-off manga, and Phoenix had Steel Samurai: Battle of S for the console that was at home.

"You're going to play this game till you unlock everything the next time you visit aren't you."

"Yeah huh!"

"Fair enough."

Meanwhile, Apollo and Athena were exchanging gifts with each other while Trucy was enjoying the new magic items that they got for her. When Athena and Apollo opened their presents up, they gave each other a large hug.

"I can't believe you actually remembered this one Apollo!"

"Well, some people do some crazy things for the person they like...a lot. I really like the suit you got me, it looks pretty sharp."

When Phoenix was about to distribute the gifts that he brought for everyone, he just tried to stifle his laughter.

"You two might want to look up."

Two confused heads then popped up, where they say Trucy and Pearl hanging two halves of mistletoe above their heads.

"Oh good god..."

It was then Maya's turn to hold in her laughter.

"Ha ha! Kiss you two!"

Athena was blushing furiously, stroking her ponytail to calm herself down.

"This is embarrassing..."

Apollo then summoned up his courage, grabbing the face of Athena, planting his lips on her own, where a content smile was plastered on both faces.

"Gotcha."

As they separated, Apollo gave her one of his signature smiles.

"I like you Athena Cykes. And that's fine."

"Apollo..."

Tears started streaming down her face, but a smile could be seen from the corner of her mouth, diving at him and planting small kisses on his cheeks.

"Apollo! You have no idea this means! I like you a lot as well!"

Apollo tried to calm her down, but was only met with kisses. The other five laughed heartily, for this was one holiday no one would ever forget.


End file.
